the inkstone of irregular trapezoidal form, with a slightly sloped recessed bell-shaped inkwell below a thin waterpool, framed by two edges of russet-brown 'skin', the top of the zitan cover carved with a clerical inscription eulogising the inkstone as being potentially Mi Fu's treasure and signed Yin Shubai in the calligraphy of Zhang Tingji, together with an album dedicated to the inkstone and decorated in ink and colours on paper between two polychrome brocade panels, the cover with a paper title panel translating to 'Painting of Critiquing an Inkstone, with Prunus Blossoms and a Bright Moon at the Half Window Studio, Inscribed for Yanchi [Mad about Inkstones] by Tienian', the first page of the album with a second inscribed title panel translating to 'An Album for the Personal Appreciation of the Master of the Green Banana-Leaf Hall', dated to the seventh month of the autumn of the bingshen year (1836) and signed Baoling, followed by a red seal mark reading Qindong, and a collector's seal beneath the panel, followed by two blank gold-flecked double-pages, the next double-page with mounted ink rubbings of the inkstone between its zitan base and cover, the following double-page painted on the right leaf with an inkstone between four seal marks, the left with four sets of inscriptions, three in appreciation of the inkstone, the next double-page with a painting and a long poem by Jiang Baoling documenting the viewing of inkstones in Tao's collection at the latter's studio ('Green Banana Leaf Lodge'), signed by Jiang Baoling, followed by two seals of the artist and another collector's seal, the following four double-pages with additions in ink and water-colours by the Master of the Water, Pine and Stone Retreat, comprising seven views of the inkstone and an inscription indicating that the inkstone "can move on as it should" after being in his collection for three decades, further accompanied with five seals of the artist, zhuxu laoren ('old man as empty inside as bamboo'), yiqi ru yun ('spirit as high as the clouds'), yangshi xianren ('an idler who cherishes stones), Shuisongshi shanfang (Water, Pine and Stone Retreat) and mozhe buxiu ('let ink be my immortality')

Inscription by the Master of the Water, Pine and Stone Retreat:



For thirty years I have frequently stepped back in time to join the friends of the inkstone on a moonlit night in the Half Window Studio, the scent of prunus blossoms in one nostril and ink in the other.  Tonight despite the clouds the moon shines again and the subtle scent of blossom sits on the breeze of my memory as I grind ink upon it for the last time to inscribe these little likenesses of the stone.



It has been in many collections over the centuries, the album and the accompanying painting by Qindong recording only a few.    



Now it is time to [?] its three decades in my studio then cut my love for it so it can move on as it should.



Treasures such as these last far longer than fragile life and carry with them so much of the past that remains important for the future.  We don’t own them, they merely soujourn a while.  What pleasant company this little companion has been.



Inscribed by the Master of the Water, Pine and Stone Retreat at the Garden at the Edge of the Universe in the summer, 2017.

陶琯（1794-1849年）及吳秀淑（1811-1873年）伉儷收藏
徐小圃（1887-1959年）收藏
李鴻球（1899-1978年）收藏
香港佳士得1987年1月13日，編號253

李鴻球，《劍花樓書畫錄》，卷2，台北，1971年
《中國古代書畫選集》，國立故宮博物院，台北，1977年，頁55

Some wear and staining to the album leaves. Some minute chips to the edges of the ink stone. Otherwise good condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

木硯盒上銘：
米老袖珍，不盈一握。完爾天真，不彫不琢。殷樹柏銘。張廷濟書。

《半窗明月梅花室評硯圖》冊

題籤：
半窗明月梅花室評硯圖。鐵年為研癡題。

首開：
綠蕉館主自賞冊。丙申秋七月寶齡題。
鈐印：琴東、瀏陽李鴻球字韻清鑒藏

硯圖：
米老袖珍，不盈一握，完爾天真，不彫不琢。雲樓殷樹柏銘。
一寸田，宜世守，樸實之風可持久。蔣寶齡又銘並圖。
溫潤而淑，合置奩几。林下之風適可比。是硯本梅若尊壺嬾卿夫人閨中所珍。梅若重索余銘。爰復製此。齡又誌歲仲冬九日。
鈐印：水松石山房藏、梅石珍賞、五雲雙星研齋、嬾卿所藏、琴東逸史、子延、齡、徐放印

半窗明月梅花室評硯圖：
老梅嗜書畫，未讓儋石生；亦具端石癖，所蓄靡不精。
南村二三子，舊締翰墨盟；有時各携硯，誇勝爭相呈。
或潤滋露液，或光浮雲英；或爛橫金帶，或炯含活睛。
巧或出古製，樸或由天成；試之膩發墨，扣之鏘有聲。
並以文錦襲，兼用琉璃盛；緊余恥凡陋，亦獲同賞評。
硯譜未援攷，美材莫能名；但覺手難釋，半晌雙目瞠。
遐懷古高逸，往往此寓情；論交重石友，用礪幽人貞。
我儕正其侶，夙視浮榮輕；百年漫虛擲，長宜伴陶泓。
為君繪斯冊，見君懷抱清；梅花遶一室，照研寒蟾明。
梅若七兄先生性嗜端石。所藏不多。而皆精品。儋石亦心羨之。時與其弟二田各携所蓄以相評賞。殊韻事也。壬辰仲冬。余下榻綠蕉山館。重閱諸研。因成此圖。並系五言長古一首正之。琴東弟蔣寶齡識。
鈐印：寶、齡、小圃所藏

水松石山房主人跋並圖
（詳見英語釋文）
鈐印：水松石山房、養石閒人、意氣如雲、竹虛老人、墨者不朽

端硯小巧袖珍，硯色黝紫，半璞半雕，應以籽石稍加修整而成，上斂下侈，隨形呈鳳字，受墨處微窪下成墨池，硯背光素無紋，中央微窪，側壁𒊎尚留泛紅石皮，古樸天真。把玩掌中，意趣無限，置於案桌，儒雅溢渙。

北宋書法大家🔯米芾（1051-1107年），初名黻，字元章，為人不羈，有「米顛」之稱。工諸體法書，尤以行書最為出眾，豪邁奔放。又擅山水，既得王子敬之風，卻又另闢蹊徑，自成一家。素知芾好金石、寶古器，尤愛奇石，有「拜石為兄」之傳。且惜硯如身，聞說曾在殿前「裝顛索硯」，並抱之共眠。傳芾對所藏紫金硯尤為珍惜，後卻為蘇軾借去不還。東坡辭世以後，其子欲遵遺訓以硯倍葬，芾得悉後急忙討回珍硯，並書有〈紫金研帖〉流芳後世，記載二位宋代文豪之風雅軼事，錄下古人惜硯之情。此研雖為紫端，卻樸雅袖珍，意趣天成，若米芾當時得見，想必愛不釋手，便是東坡欲借之，芾或也躊躇。

清人張廷濟（1768-1848年）見是硯時應也有此思，遙想若米元章見此袖珍佳硯，必惜其為至寶，是以書此題識為記。張廷濟，祖籍浙江嘉興，原名汝林，字順安、說舟、作田，ꦚ號叔未，晚號眉壽老人。學書米芾，故又自稱海岳庵門下弟子。嘉慶三年（1798年）高中解元，卻和會元無緣，屢試不第。廷濟擅詩，好藏青銅、石碑、書畫，精於金石篆刻，尤優篆、隸，兼善楷、草，著有《桂馨堂集》等書。傳阮元督學浙江之時，器重廷濟，並訂為金石之交。

廷濟藏硯，其中十三方收錄於《清儀閣所藏古器物文》，ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ當中也有與此形近꧙者，分別送予二子，廷濟又記曾依舊拓仿硯，詳見第十冊。台北有藏廷濟道光廿四年（1844年）銘硯，見《蘭千山館名硯目錄》，國立故宮博物院，台北，1987年，編號63。

據硯盒上銘，鐫刻乃出自殷樹柏（1769-1847年）之手。樹柏，字縵卿，號雲樓、西疇桑者，晚號嫩雲，齋名一多廬ღ，浙江秀水（今嘉興）貢生。工書法、精繪畫，尤擅小幅花卉清供，晚年更喜畫蔬果，極富天趣。兼善竹刻，嘗於扇骨精刻小楷百字，其名見於褚德彝《竹人續錄》。著書有《一多廬詩鈔》、《💝竹刻錄》等。

硯原屬吳秀淑（1811-7ꩲ3年）之閨閣珍藏。秀淑字玉枝，號嬾卿，本籍吳江，嫁予陶琯（1794-1849年），擅寫墨蘭，並諳詩文。其夫陶琯，字梅石，號梅若、鉏雲，浙江秀水（今嘉興）人，乃陶樂山長子，自小從父工詩學畫，兩者兼善，又精篆刻。時與姊婿計儋石讀畫共研，更益造藝，所畫寫生，尤以梅石為精，摹金農（1687-1763年）之風。所作之詩，以婉約含蓄著稱，詩集以所居綠蕉山館為名，館後有半窗明月梅花室，傳為秀淑吟詠之所。

據跋，壬辰（1832年）琯請蔣寶齡（1781-1840年）為硯題𝔉銘並圖。蔣♉寶齡，字子延、有筠，號霞竹、琴東逸史，出身布衣，原籍江蘇昭文（今常熟），自廿五歲始旅居各地，足蹟遍及蘇州、湖州、杭州、嘉興，後遷居上海。工詩文，又擅畫山水，多附題詩，尤以其小幅寫生為精。

評硯圖後跋提及陶琯姊婿計儋石（1783-1846年）、以及其堂弟計光炘（1803-60年）。儋石，計楠（1760-1834年）次子，原名煒，後改名為芬，字小隅，號儋石，秀水人，好藏善鑑，學山水、花鳥、肖像，尤以花鳥聞名。光炘，秀水人，字曦伯，因仰慕沈周（1427-1509ꦛ年，石田）與惲壽平（1633-90年，南田），自號二田。熟通畫理，凡意之所至，揮毫ꦉ繪清逸，兼好古擅藏，書畫鑑賞尤為精闢。另參見一計光炘銘隻眼硯，《蘭千山館名硯目錄》中有錄，出處同上，編號70。

題籤署款鐵年，或為符鑄（1886-1947年𒊎）之銘。鑄，字鐵年，號瓢庵，別署閑存居士，祖籍湖南衡陽，晚年居滬，乃近代書畫家，畫承徐渭（1521-93年）與陳道複（1483-1544💃年）之韻，書集褚遂良（597-658年）及米芾之風。

據鑑藏印，可推斷此品曾入徐小圃（1887-1959年）之藏。🎐徐小圃，名放，上海中醫，專攻兒科，二十世紀初著名收藏家。自稱研痴，更以其藏研五雲雙星顏其齋，硯惜已佚，然拓本尚存，見水松石山房舊藏冊，收錄🌊於《Escape from the Dusty World. Chinese Paintings and Literati Works of Art》，Sydney L. Moss Ltd，1999年，編號15，現入明尼阿波利斯美術館，冊頁局部又刊於 Robert D. Jacobsen，《Appreciating China》，明尼阿波利斯，2002年，編號169。

此品後轉入收♐藏家李鴻球（1899-1978年）雅蓄。鴻球，湖南瀏陽人，曾出任多所銀行、信托公司要職，乃世界書局總經理，後移居台灣，創立大中書局，收藏甚豐。

此端硯樸古凝思，得張廷濟青睞題字以詠，又讓陶琯請求蔣寶齡製圖冊以記，或更啟發徐小圃另製硯冊，拓錄所藏五雲雙星硯，近二百年來傳承脈絡清晰有緒，錄載一眾文꧃士樸韻，延宋人雅🤡風，續惜硯珍古之情。